My Blue and Gold Sunshine Day

Yesterday was a perfect day and my brother's last in Berlin. Although I was sad walking home after saying goodbye this morning, I am happy that we ended on such a high note — we road bikes, ate delicious food, listened to live music, played more cards, laughed and soaked in the sunniest day this city has seen in quite some time. 

I tried my hand at the blue and gold trend with a vintage polka-dot cropped blazer paired with my new silk Topshop top and the necklace I bought at the Mauerpark Flea last weekend. Certainly a more subdued version then some of the ladies I blogged about, but without their inspiration I might just have just thrown on a white tee underneath. Boring.

Berlin Weekend Roundup: Ping Pong, Cards and Karaoke

This was the first proper weekend I have had in Berlin in quite some time, and the first my brother has had since two summers ago, and it was a proper Berlin weekend indeed. The sun was shining (I have gone back to wearing cut-off jean shorts pretty much every day, with tights yes, but still, shorts), the skies were so blue (see!), everyone was out and despite the still chilly crispness in the air, we did all those outdoor things (biking and ping pong!) that make me love this city. Sadly, I also had the realization that I better get out of here quick before it actually heats up (and I can take off the tights) and the warm weather Berlin attitude kicks in and I start regretting my decision to leave — I really do love this city in the summer...almost as much as I love New York.   

The photos above were taken yesterday at and on the bike ride to the Mauerpark flea market — where it seems everyone else in the city went as well — to peruse the goods and take in some serious outdoor karaoke. Do you see how many people are sitting and watching in that pic up there? Yeah that is for karaoke, pretty insane. So all in all a fun weekend with my bro, but one that had a bittersweet undertone as the number of weekends left in this city widdles down to just a few. 

It all went something like this: greek chicken for three, juice for one, wine for one, dinner party for four, weird, Joaquin Pheonix documentary (warning: do not watch this!), doubles ping pong at Görlitzer Park, yummy street food, German card game and hot chocolate then dinner at Edleweiss, Hearts at a bar across the way, late night ride home, sleeping in again, long ride to Prenzlauer Berg, coffee and ice cream, flea market, ring, necklace and tote bag purchase, karaoke amphitheater, short story tears, Vietnamese food, Portlandia.

Beauty and the Bay

I posted some outfit shots of my trip home to Northern California awhile ago, but I also wanted to share a little more than what I wore. I am a lucky girl to have grown up in such an amazing area and no matter how many times I see it, the scenic beauty of San Francisco, Marin County and the Bay Area never fails to amaze me. 

I think it is one of those places that even the people who have lived there forever, don't take the fact that their homes are surrounded by breathtaking views, waterfalls, lakes, oceans and luscious green forests for granted. Oh and I threw in some photos of my niece Maisie enjoying the life — a recent NYC to SF transplant along with her sister India, my bro and his wife — now yet another reason I love going home. 

Living in a Whirlwind and a Happy 2011

PARIS—Place de la Concorde in the Eighth arrondissement, 1988.

My boyfriend, who unexpectedly and magically turned up in San Francisco on Christmas Day with a little help from my amazing brother Michael, had never heard the term whirlwind before a few days ago and probably never experienced such a true definition until this trip to my home town. Now that he is safely back at our house in Berlin and I have had my first real good night sleep in days at my dad's house in Marin, I actually have a minute to devote to my neglected blog. I want to fill you in with all the details of my of my Bay Area adventure, one that thus far has consisted of never being at the same place for more than two nights in a row and my boyfriend meeting pretty much everyone in my life. But I have extended my trip a few days (yay!), so I have until Saturday to try and actually relax, be detached from the internet and really wrap my head around all the holiday events and boyfriend introductions, before I try and put them into words. 

But as for now, even though the party has long come and gone, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I experienced a lot of new and challenging circumstances this year, but with that came so much growth and pleasure. I feel the older I get, the more happy and comfortable I am with myself, and in turn life just gets better and more fulfilling. This makes me look to 2011 (the year I will turn 30) with wide excited eyes. I am so happy I was able to ring it in with my best friend, my boyfriend and my brother and hope you too were surrounded by people you love and will be still for the next year to come!   

Mein Bruder the Warrior

Pass the peace pipe to this guy, my brother. Miss you man!

Happy Anniversary Berlin!

Tegel Airport, August 5, 2009

One year ago today I stepped down on Berlin soil for the first time and was picked up by my brother Michael in his hooptie with the license plate GR81LVR "The Great One Lover" that he actually got for free (only Michael, only in Berlin). Despite the passenger door not being able to open, I certainly had something to smile about.

But little did I know how huge the adventure I was embarking on would turn out to be — that a two month holiday (see I really am European now) would soon turn to three and a trip back for Christmas and in the end an indefinite move. Little did I know I would fall in love with a city and a person (I met Karsten the next day) and everything would change. This photo, shot with my bro's phone after he stuffed my suitcase in his trunk, shows the excited face of someone on the brink of something monumental — I can feel my blind anticipation.

It's crazy to think this was just a year ago because so much has gone down since then. But at the same time, I can recount every detail of that day and the days to come like it just happened, from what I was wearing, to what we talked about, to how I felt about it all. I still daydream about those moments constantly. Is that weird?

I know I am lucky to have had such an amazing experience and even luckier that a year later it still continues each day. Thanks for everything Berlin!

I Heart Facebook and My Bro

A lot of people have a love hate relationship with Facebook and I agree that it definitely has its pros and cons. Luckily I have tended to date people that are actually not members (can you believe it?), so I have only got a tiny taste of the stalker it brings out inside of me, but have heard so many horror stories of people seeing what they shouldn't be seeing time and time again.

But with being in Berlin and all, Facebook has been such a blessing - a comfortable forum to be connected with friends of friends living here who I may have been too nervous to call at first and of course an easy way to stay in touch with all of those people who I don't have phone relationships with. And then there are these people from my past who keep posting childhood pics, I found this kind of disconcerting at first but then I came across this young pic of my brother (on the left) and it made my heart melt a little. Last time I was in Berlin he was here with me and there so are many moments that I wish we could get in a little German trouble together once again. But thanks to Facebook I get to know that at least he is having a good time back in San Francisco jumping on trampolines and all. Miss you Michael!

Family Love

Last night I had great conversations with my Dad, my brother Michael and my sister-in-law Deanna, which makes me feel so good today. It's hard to be across the world from so many of the people I love, but phone calls like these make it all okay. And in three weeks I will be in Scotland with my brother Andrew, his family, and my Mom. I can't wait!

This is a pic of the Cahn gang (minus my Mom and baby India) in Italy last summer.

Fairfax, CA: Cahn Family Bocce

             

                

              

Nothing like a game of bocce ball at the local park (I ate a sandwich from my favorite deli in the world at a picnic table there the day before) to rouse up the family spirit. Naturally, I won the first set, Michael swept the second, and Dad took home the final. Looks like the two non-Cahns just couldn't keep up, but who can blame them, we have been known to be a wee bit competitive ;)

San Francisco, CA: The Perfect Meal

              
A super baby burrito from Pancho Villa's on 16th and Mission drenched in fresh salsa from the salsa bar makes me more than happy. Looking at this photo right now, makes me realize how starving I am. Shit, too bad there is a whole continent between me and this choice spot, while my brother sits happily a block away.

P.S. I am fine with being a Californian Mexican food snob. I will wear the badge with honor, and pray for the day a New York establishment can get it right.

Indoor Ping Pong

Will somebody please come over and build a makeshift ping pong table in my living room and get these two to come over and have a tournament? Oh Berlin, I miss you.

Oktoberfest, Munich Part 2 (Inside the Tents)

I don't think I really have to go into detail about Oktoberfest. The pics say it all: fun. Been there. Done that. Never again.